An integrated circuit (IC) includes a heated portion. The heated portion/IC includes a substrate having a topside semiconductor surface having circuitry configured to provide a circuit function. A pre-metal dielectric (PMD) layer is on the topside semiconductor surface. A metal interconnect stack is on the PMD. A trim portion includes one or more temperature sensitive circuit components which affect a temperature behavior of the IC. The heated portion extends over and beyond an area of the trim portion having an integrated heating structure including at least a first heater formed from a metal interconnect level that includes a first plurality of winding segments which have a varying pitch. A heat spreader formed from a second metal interconnect layer is between trim portion and the first heater. Thermal plugs are lateral to the temperature sensitive circuit components and thermally couple the heat spreader to the topside semiconductor surface.
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1. An integrated circuit (IC), comprising: a substrate having a topside semiconductor surface having active circuitry and passive circuitry configured to provide a circuit function; a pre-metal dielectric (PMD) layer on said topside semiconductor surface; a metal interconnect stack on said PMD layer comprising a plurality of metal interconnect levels having interlevel dielectric layers (ILDs) therebetween; a trim portion including one or more temperature sensitive circuit components which affect a temperature behavior of said IC; a heated portion extending over and beyond an area of said trim portion having an integrated heating structure, said integrated heating structure including: at least a first heater formed from a first of said plurality of metal interconnect levels comprising a first plurality of winding segments which have a varying pitch; a heat spreader formed from a second of said plurality of metal interconnect layers between said trim portion and said first heater, and a plurality of thermal plugs lateral to said temperature sensitive circuit component thermally coupling said heat spreader to said topside semiconductor surface.
An integrated circuit (IC) contains a substrate with circuitry that performs a specific function. A pre-metal dielectric (PMD) layer sits on top of the circuitry. A metal interconnect stack, consisting of multiple metal layers separated by insulating layers, is on the PMD layer. A "trim portion" adjusts the IC's temperature behavior using temperature-sensitive components. A heated portion extends over the trim portion. This heated portion includes an integrated heating structure with a first heater. The first heater is made from one of the metal interconnect layers and includes winding segments with varying spacing (pitch). A heat spreader, made from another metal interconnect layer, is located between the trim portion and the first heater. Thermal plugs beside the temperature-sensitive components connect the heat spreader to the substrate.
2. The IC of claim 1 , wherein some of said plurality of thermal plugs provide direct thermal contact between said heat spreader sheet and said topside semiconductor surface.
The integrated circuit (IC) described previously has some of the thermal plugs providing direct thermal contact between the heat spreader and the substrate surface. Essentially, some plugs directly link the heat spreader to the chip's silicon for better heat transfer.
3. The IC of claim 1 , wherein said varying pitch provides a minimum segment spacing at outer edges of said first heater and a maximum segment spacing proximate to a center of said first heater, and wherein said varying pitch of said first plurality of winding segments increases in a linear fashion from said outer edges of said first heater to said center of said first heater.
The integrated circuit (IC) described previously has a first heater with winding segments having variable spacing. The spacing is smallest at the outer edges of the heater and largest near the center. The spacing between the winding segments increases linearly from the outer edges to the center of the heater. This varying pitch helps distribute heat more evenly.
4. The IC of claim 3 , wherein said maximum segment spacing is at least two (2) times said minimum segment spacing.
In the integrated circuit (IC) where the heater winding segment spacing varies, as described previously, the maximum spacing at the heater's center is at least twice the minimum spacing at the heater's outer edges. This significant difference in spacing ensures a specific heat distribution profile.
5. The IC of claim 1 , wherein said at least a first heater comprises a plurality (N) of heaters each utilizing a different one of said plurality of metal interconnect levels, and wherein said plurality (N) of said heaters are angled at 180°/N±10° relative to one another.
In the integrated circuit (IC) from the first description, the heating structure includes multiple (N) heaters, each made from a different metal interconnect layer. These heaters are angled relative to each other at approximately 180 degrees divided by N, plus or minus 10 degrees. For instance, with two heaters (N=2), they'd be roughly perpendicular.
6. The IC of claim 5 , wherein each of said plurality (N) of said heaters comprise a plurality of winding segments that provide a varying pitch.
The integrated circuit (IC) with multiple heaters from the previous description, where the heaters are made of different metal layers angled relative to each other, each of those heaters includes winding segments that have a varying pitch (spacing between segments).
7. The IC of claim 1 , wherein said at least a first heater consists of said first heater and a second heater formed from a third of said plurality of metal interconnect levels comprising a second plurality of winding segments.
In the integrated circuit (IC) from the first description, the integrated heating structure includes a first heater and a second heater. The second heater is formed from a third metal interconnect layer and consists of winding segments.
8. The IC of claim 7 , wherein said second plurality of winding segments are oriented 90°±10° relative to said first plurality of winding segments.
In the integrated circuit (IC) described that has both a first and second heater, the winding segments of the second heater are oriented at a 90-degree angle (plus or minus 10 degrees) relative to the winding segments of the first heater.
9. The IC of claim 8 , wherein said second plurality of winding segments provide a varying pitch.
In the integrated circuit (IC) with first and second heaters, oriented at approximately 90 degrees to each other, the second heater's winding segments also have a varying pitch (spacing between segments).
10. The IC of claim 9 , wherein said varying pitch of said second plurality of winding segments provides a minimum segment spacing at outer edges of said second heater, a maximum segment spacing proximate to a center of said second heater, and wherein said varying pitch of said second plurality of winding segments increases in a linear fashion from said outer edges of said second heater to said center of said second heater.
In the integrated circuit (IC) with two heaters angled at 90 degrees with varying pitch, the pitch of the second heater's winding segments is smallest at the outer edges and largest at the center. The spacing between segments increases linearly from the outer edges to the center of the second heater.
11. The IC of claim 10 , wherein said maximum segment spacing is at least two (2) times said minimum segment spacing.
For the integrated circuit (IC) that includes two heaters and that each heater has varying pitch, the maximum winding segment spacing at the center of the second heater is at least twice the minimum winding segment spacing at its outer edges.
12. The IC of claim 1 , wherein said temperature sensitive circuit component comprises at least one of a diffused resistor, thin film resistor, inductor and a capacitor.
In the integrated circuit (IC) from the initial description, the temperature-sensitive circuit component that affects the IC's temperature behavior can be a diffused resistor, a thin-film resistor, an inductor, or a capacitor.
13. The IC of claim 1 , wherein said heat spreader consists of a single heat spreader plate.
In the integrated circuit (IC) from the initial description, the heat spreader is made up of a single, continuous plate. This is in contrast to a heat spreader made up of several disconnected parts.
14. The IC of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of thermal plugs comprise tungsten.
In the integrated circuit (IC) from the initial description, the thermal plugs, which connect the heat spreader to the silicon, are made of tungsten.
15. The IC of claim 1 , wherein said heat spreader and said plurality of thermal plugs are both connected to a ground for said IC.
In the integrated circuit (IC) from the initial description, the heat spreader and the thermal plugs are both connected to the ground of the IC. This provides a path for electrical grounding as well as thermal dissipation.
16. An integrated circuit (IC), comprising: a substrate having a topside silicon surface having active circuitry and passive circuitry configured to provide a circuit function; a pre-metal dielectric layer (PMD) layer on said topside silicon surface; a metal interconnect stack on said PMD layer comprising a plurality of metal interconnect levels having interlevel dielectric layers (ILDs) therebetween; a trim portion including one or more temperature sensitive circuit components which affect a temperature behavior of said IC; a heated portion extending over and beyond an area of said trim portion having an integrated heating structure, said integrated heating structure including: a first heater formed from a first of said plurality of metal interconnect levels comprising a first plurality of winding segments which have a varying pitch and extend over said trim resistor; a second heater over said first heater formed from a second of said plurality of metal interconnect levels comprising a second plurality of winding segments which have a varying pitch, wherein said second plurality of winding segments are oriented eighty (80) degrees to one hundred (100) degrees relative to said first plurality of winding segments; a heat spreader formed from a third of said plurality of metal interconnect layers between said trim portion and said first heater, and a plurality of thermal plugs lateral to said temperature sensitive circuit component coupling said heat spreader to said topside silicon surface.
An integrated circuit (IC) has a substrate with active and passive circuitry. A PMD layer is on the substrate. A metal interconnect stack with multiple metal layers sits above the PMD. A "trim portion" contains temperature-sensitive components that affect the IC's temperature behavior. A heated portion, including a first heater, is located above the trim portion. The first heater is made from a metal interconnect layer and comprises winding segments with varying pitch. A second heater above the first one is made from another metal layer and has winding segments with varying pitch oriented roughly perpendicular (80-100 degrees) to the first heater's segments. A heat spreader is located between the trim portion and the first heater. Thermal plugs beside the temperature-sensitive components couple the heat spreader to the substrate.
17. The IC of claim 16 , wherein some of said plurality of thermal plugs provide direct thermal contact between said heat spreader sheet and said topside silicon surface.
In the integrated circuit (IC) with the two heaters and heat spreader, described previously, some of the thermal plugs provide direct thermal contact between the heat spreader and the silicon substrate surface.
18. The IC of claim 16 , wherein said temperature sensitive circuit component includes at least one resistor.
The temperature-sensitive circuit component in the integrated circuit (IC) with the two heaters and heat spreader, as described previously, includes at least one resistor.
19. The IC of claim 16 , wherein said heat spreader consists of a single heat spreader plate.
In the integrated circuit (IC) with the two heaters and heat spreader, as described previously, the heat spreader consists of a single, continuous plate.
20. The IC of claim 16 , wherein said varying pitch of said first plurality of winding segments and said second first plurality of winding segments both provide (i) a minimum segment spacing at their outer edges and a maximum segment spacing proximate to their centers, (ii) a pitch that increases in a linear fashion from said outer edges to said center, and (iii) said maximum segment spacing being at least two (2) times said minimum segment spacing.
In the integrated circuit (IC) with two heaters and heat spreader, as described previously, both the first and second heaters have winding segments with a varying pitch. This pitch variation includes: (i) minimum segment spacing at their outer edges and maximum spacing near their centers; (ii) a pitch that increases linearly from the outer edges to the center; and (iii) the maximum spacing being at least twice the minimum spacing.
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June 5, 2012
June 11, 2013
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